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Michelin Primacy 5 Energy
Michelin have developed the Primacy 5 Energy to deliver outstanding efficiency, safety and comfort for everyday driving.
Price from
Find your size118.99to353.84
The Most Fuel-Efficient Tyres in 2026
Every tyre sold in the UK carries a fuel efficiency rating, from A down to E.
These can give you a real understadning into how tyres have a measurable effect on your fuel consumption - or EV's range.
It's important to know what the fuel efficiency rating means - and why it's worth paying attention to. To make sure you are selecting the best tyre for your needs. Be it a desire to refuel less often, or to extend your driving range.
Different tyres deliver different results. Taking into account the fuel efficiency of a tyre can be a very useful element when picking your next set of tyres.
Why Fuel Efficiency Matters
- Fuel efficiency affects your running costs. The UK's Vehicle Certification Agency estimates that the difference between the best and worst fuel efficiency ratings can be worth around 7.5% of your fuel economy. Similarly, the European Commission puts a single grade difference at around 80 litres of fuel over a tyre's lifetime. Based on the average price at the pertrol pumps, that's roughly £120 depending on which tyre you buy.
- It matters just as much if you drive an electric car. Rolling resistance - the technical term for how much energy it takes to keep a tyre turning - has a direct line to your range on an EV. Fitting a tyre with meaningfully higher rolling resistance than the one your EV came with can cost you real miles of range.
- It's better for the environment. Lower rolling resistance means less energy burned per mile. Whatever powers your car. Less fuel used, or less strain on the grid charging your battery.
None of that means you should buy the most efficient tyre regardless of anything else though. How the tyre affects grip, braking distance and it's tread life all matter highly too.
A car tyre that delivers brilliantly on efficiency, but mediocre in wet conditions, isn't likely the right choice for many drivers.
But when two tyres are otherwise well matched for your car, the fuel efficiency rating can turn out to be useful tiebreaker.
How Fuel Efficiency Rating Works
Tyres sold in the UK must display a tyre label grading the fuel efficiency, wet grip and noise levels.
A to E is used to score fuel efficiency in the latest iteration of the tyre label. When the EU introduced a newer, stricter tyre label in May 2021, Great Britain (GB) didn’t adopt it into domestic law. In practice, though, the UK tyre industry – Blackcircles included – moved across to the newer label format UK-wide from 2021, so customers see the same, more informative label regardless of where they’re buying.
A is the best grade and the one worth looking for.
It means the tyre has the lowest rolling resistance in its class. This is all verified through standardised, independently accredited testing.
However, perhaps counter to what you'd expet - most “eco” ranges don't have an A rating across every size.
It's common for a tyre range to achieve an A in some sizes and B or C in others. This is due to the fact that a larger, heavier version of the same tyre can behave slightly differently.
Popular A-Rated Tyre Ranges in 2026
| Tyre range | Fuel efficiency | Wet grip | Noise | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michelin Primacy 5 energy | A | A | A | Family cars, saloons, SUVs, EVs and hybrids |
| Michelin e.Primacy | A across almost the entire size range | B (A on the largest 20" sizes) | Low | Electric and hybrid vehicles, low-consumption cars |
| Michelin Pilot Sport 5 energy | A | A | Low | Performance cars, larger saloons and SUVs (19"–21") |
| Michelin CrossClimate 3 | Improved over predecessor; check label for size | A | Low | All-season driving, EVs and hybrids |
| Continental EcoContact 7 | Predominantly A | A/B | Low | Family cars and EVs (check the label for your exact size) |
| Bridgestone Turanza Eco | A to B across the range | A to C | Low | Family cars and hybrids (check the label for your exact size) |
| Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 2 | A to C across the range | A to B | Low | Family hatchbacks (check the label for your exact size) |
Michelin Primacy 5 energy
Michelin e.Primacy
Michelin e.Primacy
Get more mileage out of your car with the Michelin e.Primacy. This summer road tyre is a popular choice of OEMs for electric, hybrid, and low fuel consumption vehicles. Say goodbye to energy waste and hello to efficiency.
Price from
Find your size121.47to316.26
Michelin Pilot Sport 5 energy
Latest Model
Michelin Pilot Sport 5 Energy
Michelin have developed the Pilot Sport 5 Energy to deliver outstanding efficiency, safety and comfort for everyday driving.
Price from
Find your size193.91to352.91
Michelin CrossClimate 3
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Michelin CrossClimate 3
The Michelin CrossClimate 3 is a premium all-season tyre engineered for year-round safety, comfort, and performance.
Price from
Find your size104.99to399.99
Continental EcoContact 6
Continental Eco Contact 6
Designed for maximum fuel efficiency, the Eco Contact 6 is the ideal tyre for the eco-friendly driver.
Price from
Find your size88.58to357.99
Bridgestone Turanza Eco
Bridgestone Turanza Eco
The Bridgestone Turanza Eco Car Tyres are Car Tyres that come in 15 different variants. The Turanza Eco model comes in a variety of rim sizes ranging from 15 to 19 inch.
Price from
Find your size107.26to184.86
Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 2
Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 2
Goodyear have developed the Efficient Grip Performance 2 for increased braking performance in wet weather.
Price from
Find your size94.99to289.99
Common Tyre Sizes With A-Rated Options
A-rated fuel efficiency options are available across the sizes UK drivers actually buy, not just niche fitments:
| Size | Typical fitment | A-rated option available |
|---|---|---|
| 195/65 R15 | Small family car | Michelin e.Primacy |
| 205/55 R16 | Family hatchback | Michelin e.Primacy, Primacy 5 energy |
| 225/45 R17 | Mid-size saloon | Michelin Primacy 5 energy |
| 235/45 R18 | Larger saloon, SUV | Michelin Primacy 5 energy |
| 235/60 R18 | SUV | Michelin e.Primacy |
| 255/45 R20 | Large SUV, performance saloon | Michelin e.Primacy |
Continental EcoContact 7 and Bridgestone Turanza Eco are also worth checking in most of these sizes. ontinental spans 16 to 21 inches and Bridgestone 15 to 19 inches. Though their grade is more likely to dip to B on some fitments, so confirm the label before you buy.
Sizes and exact grades can shift as ranges are updated, so it's worth confirming the label for your specific size when you check out.
Why Choose Michelin for Fuel Efficiency?
Michelin has invested more visibly in rolling-resistance technology, and it shows in how consistently its efficiency ranges hold their grade across sizes.
Michelin was one of the earliest manufacturers to build tyres specifically around rolling resistance - rather than treating it as a side effect of the compound.
Its e.Primacy and Primacy 5 energy tyres are the clearest current examples of that - both hold their fuel efficiency grade across almost their whole size range. Not a common feat.
Michelin also has deep experience fitting EVs as standard equipment for manufacturers including Tesla, Volkswagen and Nissan. This means that its efficiency ranges are built with real-world EV range in mind.
Are Fuel-Efficient Tyres Worth It?
For most drivers, yes. The fuel and range savings from a genuinely A-rated tyre easily outweigh any small price difference over the life of the tyre. Particularly if you drive an EV or cover a lot of motorway miles.
However, there is a caveat. Don't chase the fuel efficiency grade at the expense of wet grip or tread life.
A tyre that saves you £120 in fuel but needs replacing sooner, or stops noticeably later in the wet, isn't necessarily a better buy overall.
The tyres we've highlighted above - Michelin's Primacy 5 energy and e.Primacy - are worth featuring precisely because they don't force that trade-off. Both carry strong wet grip ratings alongside their efficiency grade.
How to Choose the Right Fuel-Efficient Tyres for Your Car
There are a few things to consider when you are looking for a fuel efficient tyre.
- Check the label for your exact size, not just the range name. As above, the same tyre range can be A-rated in one size and B or C in another.
- If you drive an EV, compare against your original tyres, not just against other replacement options. The efficiency gap that costs you the most range is often between the tyres your car came with and the ones you're about to fit.
- Don't rely on the name alone. “Eco” branding on a tyre doesn't always mean the same as an A rating.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the fuel efficiency rating on a tyre label mean?
It's a regulated grade from A (best) to G (worst) showing how much rolling resistance a tyre has — essentially, how much energy it takes to keep it turning. Lower rolling resistance means better fuel economy or EV range.
Does an A-rated tyre really save money?
Yes, over the life of the tyre. The European Commission estimates roughly 80 litres of fuel saved per grade of difference over a tyre's lifetime, which at current prices is in the region of £120.
Are fuel-efficient tyres less safe in the wet?
Not necessarily. Fuel efficiency and wet grip are graded separately, and some tyres — including Michelin's Primacy 5 energy — carry top grades in both.
Do fuel-efficient tyres matter more for electric cars?
Yes. Because there's no combustion engine to absorb the difference, rolling resistance translates more directly into range on an EV than into fuel economy on a petrol or diesel car.
Is the fuel efficiency grade the same across every size of a tyre?
Often not. It's common for a tyre range to be A-rated in some sizes and lower in others. Michelin's e.Primacy and Primacy 5 energy are unusual in holding an A grade across nearly all their sizes.
Is the GB tyre label the same as the EU one?
No. Great Britain uses an A-to-G scale; Northern Ireland and the EU moved to a simplified A-to-E scale in 2021. The letters aren't directly interchangeable between the two.
